League Of Legends

A large darkness was coming through the hallways of the Great Hall. It surrounded a shape, obscured by the darkness. Soon the darkness reached the portal, and two glowing eyes could be seen looking up through the darkness. “The true enemy lies within…” The voice read out loud. “Very true, my wise league friends. Very true.” The person inside said, the voice a mix of woman and a man. As the darkness was about to open the portal, the darkness went away, to reveal a woman in the middle of it all.

Wearing a simple black robe, the carrier of the darkness seemed like a woman who had just passed twenty, with long raven black hair and bright blue eyes, the eyes in strong comparison to what the woman surrounded herself with. She was not a tall woman; on her bare feet she was usually shorter than the average human male. She did not look overly fragile, however, and with the darkness surrounding her like an ominous cloud, one would be a fool to assume so. In her hand was held a sword, the sword glowing with mystical energy, but not like the energy was bound onto the sword. Indeed, it looked like the sword was bound to the energy; the sword pulsing heavily each time, and it had the color of the blackest rock in existence.

She looked around her, carefully taking in her surroundings. She knew not what lie behind these doors, but she felt she was ready for whatever the league may throw at her. With that, she lifted her sword and commanded her darkness to push open the door, and she herself went in. As she entered, she did not see what she had expected. She saw only a lone man, sitting at the end of the hall, and nothingness. Looking around, she began to walk towards the lone man, her eyes looking around like she was expecting an assault, her darkness following her like an obedient pet. She did not recognize the man, she was not too familiar with the league’s leaders. As she reached the man, she looked up at him. The man slowly stood up. “This is it? No trick?” She asked. “I expected more from the league.” She said. “Then I will make sure to keep you satisfied; Xani, mage of Piltover.”

REFLECTION

--

Right as he finished that sentence, the world around her suddenly went black, and she felt herself thrown back into a distant past. Her eyes locked up to the roof. She tried to move, but she realized quickly what was happening, she was reliving her memories. The scene was not to be mistaken: The dirty walls, the smell of corruption, her body’s pain. She was in Zaun, and her nightmare was in front of her; a metallic shape in the form of a human.

“Let me go!” She cried out at the metallic figure. Viktor gave a laugh, “why would you want me to do that?” he asked her. She was trying to say something else, something of her future, prouder self, but this scene was scripted, and her body had no choice but to relive it. “I do not wish to take part in this!” She said, desperate, watching the metallic figure take out instruments she had never seen before at this point time. The dirty smell of Zaun did not help her much; it was strong and felt disgusting even to her. “You are foolish, mage of Piltover…” Viktor said. “I invite you to my revolution, with happiness. After you showed your potential to me, you are welcome in it. You are strong, but… You need an upgrade. Your fragile human body has failed you; your potential is locked within its cage of flesh. Your spells are mighty, but your body is too weak to carry them.” He said.

“I-I will never become like you…” She growled. Viktor gave out another robotic laugh. “You say that now my dear… You are not upgraded yet…” He said, and pulled out some instruments from a rack behind him. “N-No!” She let out, watching as Viktor pulled metal into his fingers and stuck it right into her open injury, beginning on his work. Xani cried out in pain, her scream echoing throughout the building. “You see what I mean, mage of Piltover? So sensitive, so fragile! Even from a simple move like that, your frame is failing you. With technology, in my revolution, there is no pain… There is only victory.” Viktor said, and he moved a metal plate inside her, beginning his great work. Xani had no idea how long she lied there, twisting in pain and turning, but the memory let her relive all of it.
At the end of the endless operation, she was finally given peace. Viktor forced her up from his table, and did the closest thing he could do to a smile as he looked at his work. Xani looked at herself, she looked like her normal self in the face, but she felt her body changed… She felt stronger, like she could do anything. Viktor had been right; she no longer felt any pain. It was all gone. She looked normal, yet she felt like a God. She lifted her hand and slowly moved it into a fist, despite the flesh inside being replaced by robotics, or maybe because of, she was stronger than she had ever been. She took her fist and punched it into the wall, cracking the wall, but no pain was felt to her.

“Do you see now?” Viktor asked. Xani looked over at him. “I… Appreciate what you have done for me, but I will never join you.” Xani said. Viktor looked at her for a long time. “No matter.” He finally grumbled. “You are one of many... You may not pledge your loyalty to me… But people will see what you can do, and they will know it’s me. So they will come.” He said. “You may go…” He said, and turned around, disappearing into another room, and the memory disappeared, fading into another one.

“You are a fake one! You are a menace to this city!” The voice rung out. “In the name of Jarvan the Third, leave now, or you will be killed!” The warrior said. “I did nothing!” Xani said. “You bring the foul taint of Zaun into the very heart of our city, asking to meet with Lux, the greatest of our spell casters. You are not a scholar; you are an assassin, hiding in the body of a mage.” The warrior scorned her. “We see through your secret, robot, you carry no pulse. You are no human being, and you do not fit the standards and morals that this city demands for people. You are foul, and cowardly, betraying your human body for the easiest way to power. You are not welcome here.” He said.

Xani looked at him calmly. "I shall take my leave." She finally said. "But know this, warrior of Demacia. Your vision is blinded. You are a fool." She said. "You judge people by what they are, and not how they act. For that, one day, you shall pay dearly." She said and looked at him coldly. "Take this as a threat. One day, I shall return, as a hero of the world. Then, you shall see why one does not judge a book by its cover." She said, then she turned around, beginning to walk out when she noticed the warrior trying to attack her. Not wanting trouble, she begun running as the warriors chased her, leaping from wall to wall like an acrobat to get away, getting hit a few times but she managed to get away, a new hate for Demacia placed in her heart as she began on her journey home, pulling arrows out of her skin, which regenerated rather quickly.

--

“So you wish to join us, Xani, so called Mage of Piltover.” The man said. Xani, bursting out from the memory, rubbed her arm, feeling the robotic arm through the skin as she looked up at him. So he knew. Her darkness went around her, prepared to protect her. “Why do you wish to fight in the League?” The man asked. “To fight for Piltover.” She replied. “Lier,” was the only thing the man replied to her. Xani felt her fist wrap up into a fist, and she gave a deep sigh.

“Why do you wish to fight in the league?” He asked, once again. “To prove him wrong,” she simply replied. “I do have morals, dignity, and goals. I shall fight for goodness, freedom and justice in the League, side by side with the league’s best. I carry shadow, and circuits have replaced my heart, but I shall fight for everything that is right, non-the-less. I shall prove that warrior wrong. I shall prove Garen of Demacia wrong.” Xani said. “Very well…” The man said and simply stood up, walking away in a calm manner. Xani looked over at him and brought her shadow around herself, obscuring her body, her blue eyes looking towards the door. She looked over at him. “Thanks.” She said, before she turned around and left the Great Hall, assuming she was now a member of The League...